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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (April 15, 2010)
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. Postage Paid Vernonia, OR 97064 Permit No. 37 Vol. 25, No. 8 THE FREE INDEPENDENT The Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley for Over 25 years April 15, 2010 A light snowfall didn’t interfere with children’s fun at the annual Vernonia Easter Egg Hunt. School biomass BJ the Clown at Vernonia Library tonight the Friends of the Library, with boiler gets DOE Vernonia Study Club providing cookies and juice following the grant of $400K At their April 8 meeting, the Vernonia School Board heard from new schools project man- ager Steve Effros that the new schools will be getting a bio- mass boiler. The district re- ceived a $400,000 Department of Energy grant for the boiler. Construction option resolu- tion 10-04 was passed unani- mously by the board. The reso- lution makes formal the board’s Please see page 11 Studded tire season again extended The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has ex- tended the studded tire season a second time, through Satur- day, April 17. Weather forecasts called for continued difficult driving conditions in some snow zones for this week, causing the extension. Motorists should have stud- ded tires removed from their vehicles by 12:01 a.m., Sun- day, April 18. ODOT encour- ages drivers to not wait until the deadline if they are not driving in snowy conditions. program. B.J. the Clown returns to the Vernonia Library tonight, April 15, at 6:45 p.m. to help cele- brate National Library Week. Bring your youngsters to the li- brary and join the fun. This event is sponsored by Make Vernonia Shine Saturday, April 17 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sustainability exhibits. Free lunch for volunteers at noon. Sign-up at the covered play area by Washington Grade School. (See related article, Page 8) Town Hall scheduled for update on school Vernonia Schools will hold a Town Hall on Thursday, April 29, at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the latest information on the new schools project, including cost estimates. The Town Hall will be held in the Vernonia High School cafe- teria (the green building). One day after arriving home from the hospital, Darrold Mushatt’s smile reveals how he is feeling. Darrold Mushatt receives kidney transplant Community-wide efforts to raise funds for a kidney trans- plant for Vernonia resident Dar- rold Mushatt finally paid off. On Easter Sunday, Mushatt re- ceived the kidney transplant that he desperately needed. Local performers, business- es and individuals donated time, talents, services, foods, crafts and anything else they could, to help raise the $8,000 Mushatt needed before the transplant. Help came from nearby communities as well. Jessikah Barrios, a student at Forest Grove High School, chose as her Senior Project to become a conduit for funds from Washington County resi- dents. With her dedicated ef- forts, Barrios raised $4,200, in- cluding a $2,000 donation from a man (who asked to remain anonymous) who had previous- ly received a kidney transplant and wanted to help. At 9:00 a.m. on Easter morn- ing, about two weeks after he was placed on the transplant list, Mushatt was surprised to get the call for which he had been hoping. Mushatt said he never expected to get the call on Easter morning. He and his wife, Teresa, left their four chil- dren in the care of family mem- bers and headed for Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital. Just 3-1/2 hours later, at 12:30 p.m., Mushatt was out of surgery. The surgery went well and after two days in the intensive care unit he was moved to a private room. Just one week af- ter receiving the transplanted kidney, he was back home in Vernonia with his wife, daugh- ters Nola and Cora, sons Dar- rold and Conner, and the fami- ly’s three dogs. Eight days after the successful surgery Mushatt said that the “new” kidney still has yet to fully awaken, but that is common with kidney trans- plants and he is thrilled with his progress so far. He has to go in for testing three days a week for the next two weeks. He will always need to take anti-rejection drugs which, he said, “…sure beats dialysis three time a week.” Mushatt credited his wife with his current health and seemingly quick recovery, say- ing, “She’s been my stronghold. She makes sure I take my med- icine,” he added with a smile, “She’s put up with a lot (from me) and she has done a lot to keep me healthy.” He praised Jessikah Barrios, saying “It was a great Senior Project. I hope more seniors follow in her footsteps and make their Senior Projects community projects.” Mushatt also said he was, “Extremely thankful not only to Jessikah, but to everyone, including the little boy who put his only dime in a collection can, because it took every penny.” The last thing he wanted to say was, “Thank you all so very much.”